


Live the Dash

by Inspired_looney



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-08
Updated: 2012-08-08
Packaged: 2017-11-11 06:35:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/475616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inspired_looney/pseuds/Inspired_looney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of Meridian the team decide to have a memorial for Daniel.  Jack says something that resonates with Sam, but is she strong enough to take his advice?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Live the Dash

**Author's Note:**

> I first heard this story from Lynn Smith, SG1 locations manager at Stargate convention called SG5 held in Blackpool in October 2002. I wrote this story shortly thereafter because I loved the idea of living the dash. 
> 
> I only wish we all could be so courageous.

/* :- Denotes start of flashback  
*/ :- Denotes end of flashback 

As she stood on the front steps of his house, she was seriously starting to question her judgement. What if he threw her out? What if he said no? She had always imagined that if it came down to it, she'd be the one to stop a relationship, he'd be all for it, regs or no regs, but what if that wasn't the case, what if she wanted it and he didn't?  
"Live the Dash Sam, just live the Dash"  
She thought back to just a few hours ago, when he'd said that. It had been the memorial service they had said they wouldn't have. They don't know if he is really gone, but just getting on with it without pausing for a second to remember him seemed wrong, so after rescuing Thor, once again, they had gone ahead with and had the service.  
He'd once again given the eulogy, although this time it was more a celebration of what his life had been than what could have been. 

/*  
He walked up to the podium with a smile on his lips, he knew Daniel would be there, watching and listening and if they ever met again, he'd give him hell if he said the wrong thing. It was weird, he was about to deliver a eulogy for his best friend and he wanted to laugh, because he knew Daniel wasn't really gone, he'd always be there, watching over them and helping to keep them safe.  
He stood in front of the crowd and looked at all the faces, staring up at him. He had no idea what to say. He looked down to the bottom of the Stargate. There sitting proudly was a picture of Daniel, with his cheeky spacemonkey grin. Underneath it said 08/07/1965 - 31/01/2002, suddenly, he found his inspiration. 

"You know" he started, still looking at the picture "The writing underneath that photo is wrong!" he looked out to the crowd and they looked puzzled, some were looking towards the picture, trying to recall if the DOB was right, they all knew the DOD was right, most were there when it happened. Jack saw this with amusement and continued.

  
"The dates are right, it's that dash in-between, how can a dash, accurately represent his life? Does it tell you he could speak 23 different languages? Does it tell you of the sadness of when he lost his parents as a young boy? Or how he overcame that to become a brilliant archaeologist? Can it tell us how he was laughed out of the archaeological community for his insane ideas about aliens? Or how he opened up the greatest discovery on earth to all of us? It can't represent how he fought proudly on Abydos, when he had never held a gun in his life. It doesn't show the love he had for Sha'ra or how he spent the last five years, searching, trying to avenge her death and save her son. A little dash can't show all the scrapes he got us, well into, as well as out of. Or how he bravely gave his life, to save an entire planet of people he didn't even know.

  
One little dash between his birthday and the day he left his physical body behind cannot fully explain who Daniel was, what his life was all about. The childlike wonder when he discovered something new and amazing, the care he took of his precious rocks. That dash doesn't represent Daniel, because Daniel lived that dash, he lived it to the full. That is how I will always remember him, living the dash!"

  
He looked straight at Sam as he said his final words

  
"We should take a leaf our of his book and live the dash." 

*/

She stood on the doorstep, remembering his words. She rang the bell and waited.

  
Inside he was sitting on the sofa, playing chess. He heard the ring and just knew it was her. He had no idea what to do, should he jeopardise both their careers for what, a fling that might not last? As much as he would like to think it would go on forever, the realistic part in him knew it could end, it'd happened to him before.

  
'Talk' He thought to himself, 'We need to talk.'

  
He got up and opened the door, slowly, taking deep breaths, repeating to himself 'Talk, just talk.' He opened the door and standing before him, giving him a glorious nervous smile was his Sam. It felt like a TV moment, her gold hair shining, framed perfectly by the setting sun.

  
The idea of talking went straight out the window. Never breaking eye contact, he moved aside to let her in. She finally looked away as she took off her coat and walked into his living room. He closed the door behind her and followed her through, never once taking his eyes off her. She placed her coat over the arm of the settee, took a deep breath and turned to look at him.  
She was so nervous, she wanted to look away, run, hide, not have to face her feelings, but his words from that day kept going through her head like a mantra, 'Live the Dash' She knew she had to do it.

  
For someone so articulate, she had no idea what to say. She knew what she wanted to tell him, but she just couldn't find the words. He just stood there looking at her, looking at him, wondering, with amusement, what was going on in that busy busy head of hers.

  
They just stood there like that, minutes feeling like hours, neither knowing what to say or do. She knew she wanted to tell him how she felt, but didn't know how. She felt like a schoolgirl standing in front of her first crush. She had to do something, so not breaking the eye contact; she smiled and moved towards him. She was standing right in front of him, could feel his breath on her face, could smell the scent that was uniquely him and her course of action was set.

  
She put her arms around his neck and leaned in and kissed him. It was a soft slow tender kiss, both of them a little unsure, both of them a little afraid. He snaked his arms around her waist, not daring to pull her closer, but dying to feel her body pressed close against his. She did that for him. She moved even closer so their bodies were just touching. She ran a hand through his hair as he decided to end the kiss. Surprised at his own will power, he ended the kiss and pulled his head away.

  
"So....?" he questioned  
"So....." She replied  
"Do you think we should talk here?"  
"I think we've done enough talking and analysing to last a lifetime, I don't want to talk, I don't want to question, I just want to live, just like you said, 'Live the Dash.'"  
He looked into her shinning blue eyes,  
"Well, alright then, lets go for it!" 

They kissed once more, deeper this time ad they looked forward to their lives together, Living the Dash! 

~~~~~~~


End file.
